Traverse City Travel Blog

Hey, it’s that time of year when the days can get a bit dark and dreary, and it seems like the sun hasn’t shone in weeks. All of us Michiganders sure could use a laugh.

Good thing the all-new Traverse City Comedy Fest is coming up!

The 3-day festival of funny features some of the country’s top

It’s a glowing celebration during December in Traverse City. Streets shine under twinkling lights and there's a festive spirit in the air. Viewing the annual holiday displays around local homes and businesses has become one of the highlights of the Christmas season in Traverse City. 

Some people can’t wait to join a crowd of strangers outside and count down to the New Year. Others prefer to drink and dance the night away indoors with friends, make memories with the family, or maybe just enjoy an elegant evening for two. 

This is a Foodie Town, so naturally there are lots of great restaurants offering meals for Thanksgiving. Whether you’re local or visiting, there will be plenty of restaurants to choose from. 

Tickets to “The Nutcracker” at the famed Interlochen Center for the Arts, snowshoeing the trails around the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, spending the night in the historic Hotel Frankfort while it’s all decked out in Christmas décor...the list of unique yuletide experiences in the Traverse City area goes on.

There are three things to keep in mind about the upcoming Traverse City Beer Week: One, several craft breweries in the Traverse City area are offering special deals all week long. Two, you can win a prize just by partaking in the celebration. And, three, you can already sign up for your mobile Traverse City Beer Week passport right now. 

In addition to all that, Traverse City Beer Week gives you a ready-made excuse to connect with friends and family and responsibly enjoy the ingenuity and creativity of TC’s craft brew scene from Nov. 11-18.

Halloween in Traverse City

It's time to carve out good times. Celebrate Halloween all month long in Traverse City! From ghost tours to corn mazes to races in your Halloween best, here are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween in northern Michigan.

’Tis the season for fall color! Experience the magic of a fall foliage tour right here in Traverse City. With incredible hues of reds and oranges, the drive is a sight to behold. The orchards, vineyards, forests, and villages create a beautiful landscape that highlights the meaning of fall. 

Visitors to Traverse City come for a wide variety of reasons, and visiting anglers agree that fishing is one of the best reasons! Traverse City is located right at the doorstep of the famed Grand Traverse Bay, and this protected waterway is one of the best deep water fisheries in the country. How deep is it? Boaters need not go very far from shore to find 300 feet of water, and the really deep spots reach over 600 feet deep! 

Explore must-see, must-do activities throughout the page content below or explore other things to do in Traverse City: 

• Things to Do 
• Top Activities 
• Sleeping Bear Dunes 

Vacations should be relaxing. Exploration should be a delight. And there is nothing that kills the joy of discovery or the bliss of goofing off quite as thoroughly as trying to cram too many experiences and too many sights into your precious vacation time.